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2011: The Year of the CURE??

Teacher Man

By Teacher Man
in Herpes Cure Research

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Teacher Man Established Member

Teacher Man

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Below is an update from Dr. Bloom (dated 12/2).

Note that he says donations have propelled his research forward. KEEP IT

UP because it is obviously making a difference. New donations for the new

tax year! Spare a few bucks; stay active!

I just made my largest donations yet:

Duke - $200.00

FL - HSV1 - $50.00

FL - HSV 2 -$ 25.00

Donations Link: http://www.herpescureresearch.org/

PROFESSOR BLOOM RESEARCH UPDATE

1) First off, we had to push back our first large rabbit experiment (to test the ability of the anti-HSV-1 UL20 ribozyme to block recurrence) due to delays in getting a control ribozyme synthesized. At our group meeting last month where we finalized the design of the experiment we decided to develop a better negative control for comparing the effectiveness of the UL20 ribozyme is a ribozyme. Our previous design used a fluorescently-labeled oligo (small RNA), however we feel that using a specially designed "inactive" ribozyme would be a more convincing negative control. We believe that the data from this rabbit study is so essential to going to the FDA as well as obtaining future grant support that it was worth pushing back the start date for a better control. Our new planned start date for this experiment will be January 5 with initial results expected by Feb 1. We are very excited about this study and I should mention that these studies are largely funded by the donations we received from supporters to our HSV-1 Research Fund.

2) With funds from the Pepsi Refresh Award, we have started the construction of our next generation delivery system for the ribozymes. This approach uses a viral vector to deliver the ribozymes into neurons and has the potential to be more therapeutic and block recurrences . The plasmid constructs for these vectors (both ribozyme-expressing and controls) have been completed and we are currently packaging these into viral capsids. These vectors will be evaluated for their ability to block HSV-1 infection in neuronal cells in vitro early in January.

3) With funds from donations to the HSV-2 Research Fund we have started the design, synthesis and testing of HSV-2 ribozymes. I should mention that John Davis, MD, Chief of UF's Gynecology Division, has been very supportive of this effort and has been instrumental in helping us obtain research time for a resident who is working in my lab helping to perform the initial analyses.

Finally, as you know, Bryan Cullen and I have initiated a collaboration to evaluate the role(s) of the HSV-1 encoded microRNAs (miRNAs) on HSV-1 lytic and latent infections. My lab is in the process of constructing HSV-1 recombinants with all 8 HSV miRNAs deleted (with funds from an NIH ARRA Core grant that was funded for one year for this purpose). Dr. Cullen and I will be submitting an NIH grant proposal in February for funding the analyses of the recombinant viruses. This grant will allow us to determine if these miRNAs regulate HSV reactivation. If we find they do, this could provide new targets for therapy. The collaboration between our two labs is exciting because it marries Dr. Cullen's expertise in analyzing miRNAs and identifying their targets and my lab's expertise in the molecular genetics of HSV and animal models to study latency and reactivation

(Date posted: December 2, 2010)

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justwants2bhappy Honeycomb Member

justwants2bhappy

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i pray that this all goes well...... just finding out about contracting the virus it is really hard to cope with. thank you for doing what your doing so that we may have a chance for a cure..... i claim that this CURE will be created!

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Katiehope Established Member

Katiehope

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Great ppost! Thanks for the update. It's nice to know our donations have helped at least move this forward. I know I would be the first in line to test any kind of a better supressive / cure no matter what. I want my life back! Thank you Dr. Cullen and Dr. Bloom!!!!

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Teacher Man Established Member

Teacher Man

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Their research is indeed very encouraging; however, it won't happen over night. Stay active and support the cause

any way you can. Eventually, with enough noise and funding, a new breakthrough is bound to happen.

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Teacher Man Established Member

Teacher Man

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So far, over 600 people have viewed this thread! That's great! Who has actually signed the petitions and/or

donated a few bucks? Make yourself known on here, and encourage others.

Be proactive, not passive. It won't happen over night...but it WILL HAPPEN.

"We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope." - MLK Jr.

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blackvelvet Honeycomb Member

blackvelvet

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That's up to us, and how many signatures we can get and how much awareness we can raise. That is the difference between this year, two years, ten years or twenty years.

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Mark604 Honeycomb Member

Mark604

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Bloom and Cullen could be close to proven there theory works this year especially bloom but as far as being able to buy it there still years away but aicuris aic316 could easily be on the market this year and it's as good as a cure unless your a cure or nothing type of person but for me being able to know I won't pass on this virus to my girlfriend is good enough for me. And we can all wait out for the actual cure!!!! So this year is going to be exciting I can't wait.

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SuperManFace Established Member

SuperManFace

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That's up to us, and how many signatures we can get and how much awareness we can raise. That is the difference between this year, two years, ten years or twenty years.

What about the required observation period after the clinical trials? Are you familiar with the structure that things like this have to go through? Just because people are demanding to hurry up will not make the FDA bypass their own rules and regulations and requirements...

This is probably like 5-10 years away best case scenario.

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helpiamconfused2 Platinum Support Member

helpiamconfused2

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What about the required observation period after the clinical trials? Are you familiar with the structure that things like this have to go through? Just because people are demanding to hurry up will not make the FDA bypass their own rules and regulations and requirements...

This is probably like 5-10 years away best case scenario.

The average time I saw on the FDA site the average length of a phase is 2 years and this includes "observation" period. Further, they can actually go to market in the next phase. Following is a quote on phase III: "

Most drugs undergoing Phase III clinical trials can be marketed under FDA norms with proper recommendations and guidelines, but in case of any adverse effects being reported anywhere, the drugs need to be recalled immediately from the market. While most pharmaceutical companies refrain from this practice, it is not abnormal to see many drugs undergoing Phase III clinical trials in the market.[26]"

If they can find a partner to take it to phase 3, it could be commercially available as early as 2011 or if they find a partner and don't choose this route and phase 3 is successful, 4 years is a likely release date. There is also a statement on the FDA site that says a company can take a drug to market during phase 3 if it is proven to be superior to current treatments. If this stops shedding and outbreaks, it would clearly fit that bill.

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SuperManFace Established Member

SuperManFace

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The average time I saw on the FDA site the average length of a phase is 2 years and this includes "observation" period. Further, they can actually go to market in the next phase. Following is a quote on phase III: "

Most drugs undergoing Phase III clinical trials can be marketed under FDA norms with proper recommendations and guidelines, but in case of any adverse effects being reported anywhere, the drugs need to be recalled immediately from the market. While most pharmaceutical companies refrain from this practice, it is not abnormal to see many drugs undergoing Phase III clinical trials in the market.[26]"

If they can find a partner to take it to phase 3, it could be commercially available as early as 2011 or if they find a partner and don't choose this route and phase 3 is successful, 4 years is a likely release date. There is also a statement on the FDA site that says a company can take a drug to market during phase 3 if it is proven to be superior to current treatments. If this stops shedding and outbreaks, it would clearly fit that bill.

Well that right there is bad ass. That is why I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for this thread man. Too bad I won't be eligible for the clinical trial because one, I haven't been diagnosed and probably won't be, and two I probably can't jump through all the hoops to be a participant. If I was eligible I would move out there near Duke University. I guess the rich folks were getting tired of their daughters catching the herp.

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Teacher Man Established Member

Teacher Man

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The bottom line is there's no way of foretelling the future and how these drugs will work, or how long it will

take to bring them to market subsequently. But that is NO REASON not to do our part and stay active.

Dr. Bloom himself mentioned the private donations that have helped supported his research. Getting the word

out by signing petitions and staying involved can only help the cause - both for individuals and for researchers.

But it's obvious that the last few years have yielded unprecedented results. It makes me feel good to be involved

and do my part to help keep any momentum from withering. One step at a time.

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helpiamconfused2 Platinum Support Member

helpiamconfused2

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Well that right there is bad ass. That is why I asked because I didn't know. Thanks for this thread man. Too bad I won't be eligible for the clinical trial because one, I haven't been diagnosed and probably won't be, and two I probably can't jump through all the hoops to be a participant. If I was eligible I would move out there near Duke University. I guess the rich folks were getting tired of their daughters catching the herp.

I didn't see your question. What was it? I thought you were talking about Aicuris not Duke. Why the reference to Duke?

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  • 6 months later...
healtheworld Honeycomb Member

healtheworld

Posted
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Please sign this petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/herpescure

Sign the free petition, we need 1000 or more signatures. Please sign and spread the link around.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/herpescure

Spread that link around for exposure. We want a cure not a treatment.

Their research is indeed very encouraging; however, it won't happen over night. Stay active and support the cause

any way you can. Eventually, with enough noise and funding, a new breakthrough is bound to happen.

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healtheworld Honeycomb Member

healtheworld

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To teacher man

Did you read the petition? The whole petition is about pushing the government to fund the cure, not us. Please read the petition. You'll agree with it. We need to encourage got more signatures so that the government has no choice but to answer our voices. Our voices should be heard.

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